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Residents could help to test water quality

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Sunday August 15, 2010 3:01 AM

Residents could help to test water quality -

In regard to the Aug. 1
Dispatch article “Testing lakes not funding priority,” I could not agree more about the urgent need for more regular testing.

As a graduate student at Ohio State University, I have been working on a program in the Upper Scioto watershed in hopes of
addressing water-quality issues. Testing is crucial because we must know where and what the problems are before anything can
be done to solve them. Water testing will help protect our waterways at the source — by identifying potential problems before
they become as severe as that of Grand Lake St. Marys.

As funding dries up for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, a more-creative way of locating resources for water testing
is needed. One such method is to get concerned citizens involved in the testing. By allowing volunteers to go out and sample
lakes and streams in their communities, the Ohio EPA can save money, expand testing and enhance the public knowledge about
water quality. While many states have strong citizen science programs, the Ohio EPA is still in the process of developing
its volunteer water-testing programs. Such programs could help ensure regular testing and protect public and environmental
health.